National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1887-06-13
Temperance Prohibition.

tions for the future will have to consider
the question OF temperance or prohibition,
because there is large contingent OF the
voting population determined to force this
subject before the country, and the leaders
OF the movement belong to the class who
will not down at any mans bidding.
OF course the advocates Of temperance
are divided In opinion as to how the
acknowledged evils OF intemperance shall be
checked. When IL is demonstrated, as 1t
has been, that 500, 100000 are expended In
a year for alcoholic, malt liquors and wines
as a beverage, the figures themselves show
that great evil exists. Mr.. F. N. Barrett,
editor OF the New York Grocer, has given
the subject OF the consumption aud cost
OF liquors to the consumer careful stu1y,
and he elbows In paper printed Ia
quarterly report No. Q OF the bureau OF
statistics, for the last fiscal year, that less
than 100000 people drink 75,OJJ,5O)
gallons of whisky, costing the drinkers
$685., ,399, $50, tnat is 5.3 gallons each $751; 3oS,
6S5 gallons OF beer, 400 gallons for each,
costing $200,699 ,Si2; and 23, 1853, ,425 gallons
of wine, 1.6s gallons each, costing over
$50, 0,000, 900, the total cost to each con
sumer II equally divided between them
being about $50, which is between oae-
third and one.fourth Of the total average
cost of maintenance, per capita. In the
country.
That intemperance in the use OF llqu ,rs
impairs both the physical and mental powers
| Of those who indulge In 1t is no longer dis
| puted. That is admitted. That drunken
| ness is the cause OF q large percentage OF
| the crimes committed in the country is not
denied by any one.
Arguing from these postulates the ques
ton is, "Where is the remedy" Some
hold that It is confined solely to moral
suasion, others to local legislation, anl
still others that the supreme power OF the
government can be and should be exertel
to prevent crime rather than to punish it,
and to preserve TO the citizen the full force
of his mental and physical powers, to the
services OF both of which the state-that Is,
the sovereignty-is entitled In an emer-
gency.
Those who oppose interference by lesis-
lation with the consumption OF liquors
claim that 1t would be an Infringement oi
personal liberty not authorized by the con-
stitution. This claim can hardly be held
valid when It is admitted that the govern
ment has the right to legIslate for "the gen
eral welfare" because the general welfare
cannot be promoted If individual citizens art
permitted to render themselves unfit to dis
charge their full duty as citizens.
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, holds to th
opinion that Congress can legislate on thi
subject, and the only question for It to con
slider is as to what kind of legislation will
best "promote the general welfare;" ant
that subject it will consider In the future.
There is, however, one phase OF 1t thai
can be discussed now, aud which all thu
advocates Of temperance aud prohibition
seem to have overlooked, and that is th
adoption Of prohibtory duties on all kind
OF foreign liquors. This phase Of the qres
tion can the more properly be made prom
uent by the action of liquor dealer Il
I, Augusta, Me-, where the sale OF liquor |
prohibited by state laws, who has importe
lot of foreign liquors, and claims that h
, | has the right to sell them in the package
in which they were imported, despite an
state law to the contrary.
Noone questions the power OF the govern
, ment to make the import duties SO hlg
, that they would be prohlbitory, and
would seem that the first step In tempe
: ance legislation would be such laws {
: would prohibit the importation of any kin
of liquors. The temperance advocate
would probably find the tariff men and Il
producers of liquor aiding them in th
movement, and that would secure It's su
i. cess.
y The total imports Of malt liquors, di
n titled spirits, and wines in the last flsc
y year were valued at $9,7S5,7sS, and Il
n duties collected were $7,104.147. The
Il $7,000,OO0, collected on liquors, go
d swell the surplus In the treasury, where Il
, money is not needed, and this is the stron
:. est case that can be made at the prese
J, stage of the discussion by the friends
d temperance. AS an economic proposition,
will assist to put the balance of trade
e our favor, which is now running again
" us. Why not stop this importation
A